Copyright manchestereveningnews
A personal trainer is being hailed as a hero after changing the lives of the elderly and people with disabilities since he was just a teenager. Javeno McLean has worked for more than two decades to improve the lives of elderly people and those with disabilities and illnesses through free sessions at his specially equipped gym. Javeno has helped thousands, including stroke survivors and people with cancer, dementia, multiple sclerosis and Down's syndrome. He puts together unique sessions based on what people can do, rather than what they cannot. Javeno found his calling when he was 16, after noticing a boy in a wheelchair struggling in the gym. He instinctively offered to train him. Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE Another profound moment happened a few years later when Javeno he invited a man in a wheelchair to join a casual cricket game in the park. Afterwards, the man told him: "This is the first time I've felt alive in 12 years." Speaking about that life-changing moment Javeno said: "I couldn't take my eyes off this man, he just wanted in, he was following the ball. I was so distracted, I had to intervene. I stopped the game I was coaching and got all the people and the family involved. "There were 25 of us. I wheeled Ishmael to the pitch, gave him a bat and said, 'You are going to bat and your family are going to bowl'. "At the end of the game, his wife, who didn't speak any English, gave me a big hug and explained to me he wasn't born disabled, but there had been an accident. "He said being involved meant for the first time in over 10 years he felt alive. It was a powerful moment." Moments like that define Javeno's life. He opened up the J7 Health Centre in Manchester in 2016, which is an inclusive space with a dedicated area for elderly clients and those with a range of abilities. It supports hundreds of people every year, free of charge. From those living with disabilities to individuals affected by cancer, dementia, and stroke, everyone is welcomed. At J7, people are not just trained but championed - treated with the same unwavering respect, care, and positivity, regardless of circumstances. Among those who Javeno has helped is Josh Coy, who has cerebral palsy. After attending sessions at the gym Josh could stand up out of his wheelchair. He also helped cerebral palsy sufferer Aimee, who had PTSD and depression after being at the Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena in May 2017, when a terrorist bomb attack killed 22 people. She said: "Javeno has literally changed my life. I never thought I'd be as mentally and physically strong as I am now. When you go into his classes it's the best feeling. He looks at you like you're a normal person without a wheelchair." Javeno said of the gym: "I wanted a place where energy and love was contagious. I hated gyms and the way they made people feel, especially women. "I wanted a place where my grandmother, my mum, my aunties, an athlete, a disabled person, everybody could be in a room together to have a shared experience." Javeno shares these powerful, uplifting moments online, and has nearly two million followers across TikTok and Instagram, where his videos regularly go viral for their raw emotion and positivity. Javeno said: “Inclusivity is so important, when you include people you empower them. “We live in a society where people can feel dehumanised, unseen. “I don’t see their wheelchair, the medication, the barriers.” After years of changing lives and making people feel special, it was Javeno's turn for a moment in the spotlight. Javeno, 40, looked stunned when TV presenter Paddy McGuinness surprised him with the news that he had won a prestigious Pride of Britain award as he was surrounded by some 30 family and friends at Manchester's Printworks. A giant image of the award was projected on to the digital ceiling as Paddy told him: "You're a hero of the community and this reward is so well deserved. It's amazing, you should be so, so proud. People have been telling us how much you have changed their lives." Javeno said: "I'm absolutely lost for words. I didn't have a clue. The way I live my life, I focus on what's going on in front of me. This is insane, I need a minute to take it all in." Embracing the winner, Paddy joked: "Blimey, got a lot of you to hug there." Thanks to social media, his fans include Michelle Pfeiffer, Carol Vorderman, Davina McCall and Ben Shephard. As he was told about the P&O Cruises Inspiration award, a video featuring some of the people he has helped was shown on a big screen. Javeno said: "Every day I try my best to help people as much as I can. It takes a lot out of you emotionally giving so much. You don't put your emotions first, that's not your priority. "It's a blessing that others believe I deserve this. I'm so honoured. "I'm so blessed to know these people." Always thinking about his work, Javeno was even worried as he had a class due to turn up at his gym for a training session. He will be honoured at The Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards, with P&O Cruises next week. A judging panel selected the winners from a shortlist after tens of thousands of public nominations were received. Winners will be celebrated at an awards dinner at the Grosvenor House, London, co-hosted by dancer Ashley Banjo and broadcaster Carol Vorderman on Monday. The Pride of Britain Awards ceremony will be shown on ITV1 at 8pm on Thursday.
